Diocesan News
Putting food on the table in Mount Merrion
Each week, a table laden with free food is set up outside Mount Merrion Church, Cregagh. It’s part of the church’s mission to care for their community in a holistic way – body, mind and soul.
“Following on from our weekly packed lunch give–away during the summer and food parcel deliveries, we wanted a way of getting food to those in need without some of the stigma of having to ask,” explains the rector, the Revd Adrian Green.
“As a church we signed up to the Fareshare scheme and since August have been getting regular weekly supplies from local businesses. These are put on a table outside the church so that those in need can help themselves to the bread, pastries, fruit and vegetables, or they can be taken and passed on to someone they know.
“It has been amazing to see how this has developed, with people now dropping off foodstuffs at the table for others to take, and we have had someone offer to build us a shelter for the table so that we can still leave the foodstuffs outside and yet be protected from the elements over the winter. There has also been much social media engagement, with one person posting, ‘such kindness in these uncertain times.’”
FareShare is the UK’s longest running food redistribution charity, born out of the belief that no good food should go to waste, especially when people are going hungry. Sadly, hunger is a reality for some and is set to be a growing issue for our society.
Adrian says, “Signing up with FareShare was a very simple process and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a partnership with them if you sense that your parish is called to meet this need in your community.”
Find out more at fareshare.org.uk
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Down & Dromore
07840 006899
Mrs Annette McGrath
dco@downdromorediocese.org